Not Applicable.
The present invention relates generally to electrical insulators and more particularly to a removable insulator for minimizing or preventing current drain from an energy source used in an electric circuit embedded within an inflatable device.
Battery powered electric circuits are used in may devices to emit sounds, turn lights on and off, display messages, display time, etc. However, a common problem with these devices is current drain from the power supply (typically batteries) while the device is not in use (e.g. while in transit from the manufacturer to the consumer, etc.). Thus, the batteries may be dead or weakened by the time the consumer receives the device.
With non-embedded electric circuits, the batteries may be replaced by the consumer and/or current drain may be prevented with a manually operated on/off switch. Further, methods have been proposed, that include limiting the current drawn by the circuit. However, limiting the current may limit the volume of the sound emitted and/or the brightness of the illumination emitted. Additionally, many electronic products today, especially children""s toys are sold with a battery xe2x80x9cpull-tabxe2x80x9d. This is essentially an insulating material that is inserted between the battery and the battery contacts to prevent circuit completion, and thus to prevent current leakage. After the toy is removed from the packaging, the pull-tab is manually removed by either the child or an adult, the circuit is completed and the toy may be used.
These types of solutions, however, may be impractical in circuits that are inaccessible in devices such as inflatables (e.g. balloons, beach balls, air mattresses, dolls, instruments, etc.).
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide an apparatus that minimizes or prevents current drain from a power source, prior to inflating the inflatable device in which the power source is embedded. It would be further advantageous to provide such an apparatus that minimizes or prevents current drain from a power source that is embedded within an inflatable device when the device is not inflated. It would be another advantage to provide such an apparatus that is automatically repositioned to allow current flow from the power source. It would be still another advantage to provide such an apparatus that does not limit the current flow during normal operation of the circuit.
An aspect of the invention provides an apparatus for impeding current flow in a circuit. The apparatus includes an inflatable device that has an interior surface. The apparatus also includes a circuit that has at least a power source and a switch electrically connected with the power source. The circuit is attached to the interior surface. The switch has an open position which prevents current from flowing from the power source, and a closed position which allows current to flow from the power source through the circuit. The apparatus also includes a tab having a proximal portion and a distal portion. The proximal portion of the tab is placed in contact with the switch and the distal portion of the tab is connected to the inflatable device. The tab is also arranged to move relative to the switch and to change the position of the switch from the open position to the closed position as the apparatus is inflated.
Another aspect of the invention provides a method of preventing premature discharge of a power source. The method includes connecting a circuit, which includes at a minimum, a power source and a switch electrically connected to the power source, to a portion of an interior wall of an inflatable device. The method also includes placing the switch in an open circuit position and configuring the switch to automatically change to a closed circuit position as the inflatable device is inflated.
Still another aspect of the invention provides an inflatable apparatus that includes a shell having an interior portion. The apparatus also includes a circuit connected to the interior portion. The circuit includes an energy source and a switch electrically connected to the energy source. The switch has an open circuit position and a closed circuit position. The apparatus further includes a tab connected between the shell and the circuit. The tab is arranged to change the switch position from the open circuit position to the closed circuit position as the inflatable device is inflated.
Yet another aspect of the invention provides an inflatable apparatus that includes a shell having an interior portion, a circuit module connected to the shell for generating a desired effect, and a module connected to the circuit module for preventing the circuit module from generating the desired effect until the inflatable apparatus is being inflated.
Another aspect of the invention provides an inflatable Mylar balloon. The balloon includes at least two sheets each having an edge and an interior side. The sheets are connected together at their edges. The balloon also includes a sound producing circuit that includes batteries, a switch electrically connected to the batteries and a piezoelectric noise generator electrically connected to the switch. The switch is operable between an open circuit position and a closed circuit position. The circuit is mechanically connected to the interior side of one of the sheets. The balloon also includes a tab connected to the switch and configured to change the switch from the open circuit position to the closed circuit position.
The invention will next be described in connection with certain illustrated embodiments and practices. However, it will be clear to those skilled in the art that various modifications, additions and subtractions can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the claims.